Want to learn more about Daniel? Use these Bible Studies for personal devotion, group Bible studies, or teaching a church class. Below are links to the lessons in this 13-part series.
Currently, I’m reading a delightful book that explains
why the outspoken opponents of God are idiots. That may sound a
little undiplomatic, but this book is filled with humor and logic,
and it pokes a hole in the so-called scientific gasbags that
publically attack the existence of God. My problem is that when I
read some of the logical arguments in the book, I have to think about
them to be sure I’m understanding what I read. That should be our
constant quest. Even when reading something that we think we
understand, we need to take a moment to be sure. Then we need to
explore whether what we just understood makes sense. That is our
study this week. As we begin our exploration of the book of Daniel,
are we prepared to really understand it? Do certain distinctions make
sense? Let’s dive into the Bible and see what we can learn!
Has your life been radically changed at some point? How
did you react to that? Last year my car was totaled in a multiple car
accident. A driver who was not paying attention rammed me, and the
impact caused a chain reaction with other cars. Thank God, I walked
away from the wreckage. The accident could have come out differently
and changed the rest of my life. Our study this week is about a life-changing event. Let’s plunge into our study of the Bible!
My neighbor was sitting on the curb at his front lawn.
His head was in his hands. This was unusual, so I walked over and
asked him what was the matter. He told me that he felt as if a black
cloud was following him around because he faced a series of problems.
Daniel and his three friends might have a similar complaint. They
have been taken captive, their homeland and their traditional lives
destroyed, and now they face execution! Those problems are worse than
faced by my neighbor. Let’s jump into our study of the lesson and
find out how to deal with “black cloud” times of life!
Have you been in a crowd which is standing to praise a
person? What if you did not agree that special praise was due? Did
you stand anyway? Have you been in church when they asked those to
stand who wanted to make a new commitment to God, and you were fine
with your current commitment? If you stood because of peer pressure,
or a concern about how you might look, imagine if your life depended
upon standing up? For most people, sin comes to them in small
decisions. It is not, as we study this week, one big, clear decision
that determines life or death. Let’s jump back into our story of
Daniel and his friends!
Do you like to avoid being embarrassed? I do! Being
publically shamed is one of the worst things for most people. It
hurts even more if you have a very high status in your community. The
Bible warns in Proverbs 16:18 that “Pride goes before destruction, a
haughty spirit before a fall.” Our study this week is a warning to
us. Let’s jump into our study and learn more!
Chapter 5 of the book of Daniel has a very interesting
background. King Nebuchadnezzar died in 563 B.C. Chapter 5 takes
place about 25 years after his death. King Nabonidus is now on the
throne, but he shares his authority with his evil son, Belshazzar.
The Persians, lead by King Cyrus, attack Babylon and defeat the
troops led by King Nabonidus. King Nabonidus moves the main
Babylonian army to Borsippa, and King Cyrus heads for the city of
Babylon and surrounds it. My guess is that before Cyrus got to
Babylon, a great number of officials fled to the city for protection.
Babylon was protected by a massive double wall and had a sufficient
food supply to last for 20 years. The setting for our study today is
that Vice-King Belshazzar is within the safety of the walls of
Babylon, King Cyrus and the Persians surround the city, and the main
army of Babylon is off licking its wounds. Let’s dive into Daniel 5!
Last week the Babylonian empire was defeated just as
Daniel was reinstated to a very high position – number three in the
empire. The Medo-Persian empire took over and Daniel faced real
turmoil in his life. He might be concerned that his life would be
taken by the new conquerors. We know that God has Daniel’s life in
His hands. Let’s turn to our Bibles to see how Daniel does and to
follow him through yet another adventure!
A new development this week! Daniel is the recipient of
a vision, not merely the interpreter of the king’s dreams. This
personal vision parallels the “history of the world” dream given to
Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel chapter 2. That dream dealt with the
political power of a series of empires. That made sense since
Nebuchadnezzar was a man concerned about political power. The
parallel vision we study this week in Daniel 7 has to do with the
personal or spiritual nature of these empires. Let’s dive into our
study of the Bible and see what we can learn!
Two years after his first dream, Daniel dreams he is
strolling by the water when suddenly he is face to face with a
powerful sheep with two big horns – and no one is there to rescue
him. It turns out his dream is not so much about danger, or
adventure, as about the future. Let’s jump into Daniel’s dream and
see what we can learn about the future!
When we studied Daniel 7 and 8 did you ask yourself,
“What relevance does the cleansing of the sanctuary have to me?”
Hopefully, you discovered the relevance in these lessons. But, if you
had these feelings, you can be sure that Daniel did not. The idea of
having a sanctuary again was the subject of greatest interest to
Daniel. It would tell him about when his people would be allowed to
return to their homeland and rebuilt the temple. Let’s dive into our
study of Daniel and learn more!
This week we begin our study of Daniel’s last major
vision. Daniel is now an old man, probably around 90 years of age. In
the prior visions Daniel has been shown the sweep of history among
nations. This week we find another, critical, aspect of history – the
supernatural side of the conflict. Let’s jump into our study of
Daniel and look at this from a new point of view!
Let’s review. Three weeks ago we found Daniel praying
and fasting for understanding of the appalling vision he recorded in
Daniel 8. (See Daniel 8:27.) Gabriel came to Daniel in our study two
weeks ago (Daniel 9) to explain the vision. Last week, in Daniel 10,
Daniel receives a revelation about a “great war.” Once again, he is
praying for an understanding. Gabriel again comes to explain. This
week and the next, we study this great war. Let’s dive into our study
and learn more!
This week we finish both Daniel’s final vision and the
book of Daniel. Are you ready for Jesus to return and bring an end to
sin and death? This last chapter not only talks about the end of sin,
it gives us additional information on what we have previously been
told about the vision. Let’s jump into our study of the Bible and see
if we can learn more!
